Wings of a Forgotten Angel
by ShadowlingHeartless
Summary: Riku is trapped behind Kingdom Hearts without his friends, lost in the Darkness. However, someone appears, someone saying that he is his 'penance' for making so many people suffer. But who is he? And why is he helping Riku, who would rather be left alo
1. Help Me

He was floating.

Darkness circled decrepitly around his forgotten form as he wearily made his way through the hordes of Heartless that had made themselves right at home behind Kingdom Hearts' closed doors. His mind was focused on his only goal; heck, he didn't have the strength to think of another goal. He wanted to leave this place. Why was he here? Where had he gone wrong? His plan had been to save Kairi and turn out the big hero in this whole plot. But he _had_ went wrong somewhere.

Ah, yes.

Getting involved with Maleficent in the first place was his mistake. How foolish was he? It wasn't practical, it seemed, for him, the hero of his Island, the strongest there and a dependable friend, to be the one so prone to darkness. He didn't want the darkness near him. He never wanted to experience such mind-numbing pain again, the pain that Ansem had put him through. Sora was his savior for ridding him of Ansem...but should he be saying that?

No.

He was a villain. Villains never get the girl, the weapon, or the honor of saving the universe from untimely destruction.

And he didn't get the burden.

He realized why it had been he who had been destined to be the Keyblade Master. Sora had seemed weak at heart, and someone who would be a valuable ally to him, not one who had a strong heart and the ability to wield the Keyblade. But when he had opened his heart to darkness, all of that had changed. The Keyblade had sensed his obvious acceptation of the darkness and chosen Sora over him. He should have never accepted the darkness. He should have stopped asking all of those damn questions.

But they wouldn't stop coming.

Wearily, he sank down to his knees, a hand holding himself up tiredly as he stared into the rest of the dark abyss that lay in front of him, taunting him as his legs ached even now. Oh, how much did he wish he had someone right now, someone...anyone would do. Even if it was Captain Hook he'd still celebrate about it. He lay down, mindful of the shadows crowding around him. Let them take his heart. He didn't want it.

Riku closed his eyes.

And slept.

There was someone there.

The figure stared down at the sleeping boy, even as his sword raised slightly, swiping off the Heartless with a careless gesture here and there. He knelt next to him, tilting his head to the side to examine his face. A mass of soft silver hair fell over his hand, and he pushed it out of the boy's face. Something disturbed him about this boy. Carefully, he slid his arm under the boy's neck, and the other under his legs, lifting the child-like form up. He stirred, jerking slightly against him as he walked toward the abyss. The boy, he decided abruptly, was coming with him. There was no other way that he was going to survive behind these doors.

"Fool." He muttered as the boy jerked again. "Selfless, sympathetic fool..."

Now is that freakishly short or what? Well, believe me, I have a story line, so if you want to listen to Riku rant, and this strange man...err...carry him, then read on! (Note: No, I'm not going to upload the same exact document to every single chapter and name it differently every single time just to fool you reviewers...which are, hopefully, not listening to me rant and rave about something completely off the subject and typing up a review demanding I continue this.) Who is this guy?! I wanna know!


	2. My Angel

When he awoke, he was in someone's arms. Maybe he was dreaming he had woken up. He didn't want to move.

Drowsily, he roused himself and managed to open his eyes halfway. There sat a man he didn't recognize nor know, yet he felt too content to care. Silver hair graced this man's shoulders and fell to his waist, while glowing turquoise green eyes that reminded him distinctly of his own gazed intently down at him. He was clad in all black. Something soft and fluttering touched his face, and his eyes focused on that. He reached up a hand, and his fingers brushed against feathers, feathers as soft as silk that flowed like water. The wing trembled at instinct, probably from the way he had touched it.

"So your awake." The man sat him up, and he was leaning rather directly against the man's leg.

"Who are you?" Were the first words that flew out of his mouth. He supposed he should have said 'Thank you', but his lips couldn't seem to form those words right now.

The man smiled wryly.

"I am Sephiroth." He stared at Riku as if to expect a reaction, yet there was none. Riku only looked back at him, puzzled. "I know who you are."

"You do...?"Riku gazed at him in interest. "How?"

"How, I don't know." Sephiroth looked back at him with an unnatural calm and collected nature that unnerved him. Riku abruptly looked away. "I don't know how I know you; I found you collapsed with Heartless gathered around your body."

"Like buzzards..."

This statement quieted the man. Riku awkwardly tried to stand. Sephiroth stood, taking him by the elbow and pulling him up, his wing flexing slightly behind him, as if to shake off something unperceivable. Riku took another step forward, then managed to pull himself up straight, using Sephiroth to help him. Gods, he felt so weak. Sephiroth seemed to sense his inner shame, though didn't sat anything, he only helped silently, Riku staggering as he winced. He felt dizzy and lightheaded, as if he had been drinking something he had forsaken when he had met his adopted father.

Flashback

_"GET OVER HERE, WOMAN!!!"_

_"Please, James, stop this, plea-"_

_The harsh sound of a palm meeting flesh echoed through the house as the child sat behind the couch, whimpering as the footsteps drew closer to his hiding place. He held his breath, being silent, but it didn't work. The couch was wrenched away from the corner and he was exposed to a drunk with a crazed look in his eyes._

_"Thought you could get away from me, eh, did you, you little brat?" James reached down, grabbing him by the hair as he screamed at the child. "I get your number; first you come into my home and complain about the good clothes we put on your worthless back-"_

_"Stop it, James! Your drunk!" His adoptive mother tried to pull Riku out of his grasp. Riku only began to cry as James dropped him, going after the one who had taken care of him, grabbing her by the throat and throwing her against the wall._

_"SHUT UP, WOMAN!" James hollered, then turned back to Riku, that ever so insane look in his eyes. His adoptive mother crumpled to the ground, bleeding. James took a step toward him, pulling off his belt. "Now I'll kill you, you little freak-"_

End Flashback

Sephiroth stared at the boy as he managed to shake his head, clearing the vision that had just shot through his consciousness. The boy had nearly been beaten to death by the one called 'James', his mother had died the same day, right in front of his eyes. Riku muttered something incoherently. Sephiroth rested a hand on his back, urging him forward. Why?

Why was it that he, Sephiroth, had the task of trying to help a troubled youth?

Was this his penance?

He had slaughtered thousands of people, had felt the blood that poured over his hands, had laughed at Cloud Strife when he didn't have the strength to do a thing. This _should _be his penance. He should have died a long time ago, but did death really clear you of your sins? No. It didn't. He was now stuck with an inexperienced child that was wounded, weak, and without a weapon, needing assistance. Riku... The name meant 'land'; did this have some sort of connection? A connection to the one who had freed him from the boundaries of the Coliseum?

He'd have to figure this out later.

For now, Riku needed his help.

Steadying him, Sephiroth pulled the boy's arm around his neck. It was amazing how short he was compared to him. He chuckled at the thought, and began to walk. Riku stumbled from time to time, but either way, he was fine. The boy was strong. He hadn't doubted that when he had first seen him lying helplessly on the ground, by the stress marks all over his arms, and the multiple wounds.

"Where are we going?" Riku asked wearily, and Sephiroth looked down at him. His head was bent low, as if he had given up all hope of ever getting out of these Heartless pits.

"To a place that you'll recognize. You need rest, and medication." He turned his head back to the road not taken yet by them.

"Why are you helping me? Why can't you just let me die?" The boy mumbled.

"I cannot. I've let too many die."

Riku fell silent, and he took this as an opportunity to get some mileage down. On and on and on this road was going, with no end in sight, and even he was starting to get weary of this. Lights in the distance told him not to stop. Where did they lead to?

Traverse Town.

The place where all who had lost their worlds gathered. Both he and Riku had lost their worlds.

And now he was going to fix everything.

"Thank you..."

Oooooo! I'm so excited even I want to read the next chapter! What's going to happen?! I WANNA KNOW!!! Err…wait, I already know what's going to happen next. Reviews, review, and read, and anxiously look for the new chapters. If you don't, then I guess I'll have to force you to… Uh, empty threat! realizes she just threw an empty threat at a potential reviewer Um…I'll…force you to eat…candy! YEAH!!!

Riku: What's going to happen next? You can tell me….

Sephiroth: Your not the only one who wants to know…

Nikoru: Err…something SPECIAL!

Riku: Your such a liar, Nikoru.

Nikoru: sigh I know…it's a tough job.


	3. My Story

Sephiroth was amazingly quiet the rest of the journey. His penance was extraordinary. A fifteen year old young man whom was quiet, to say the least. He was amazed to see that there was one who was quiet _alive._ It took a couple more miles to travel when he heard the boy's voice behind him, hesitent and unsure.

"Um...may I ask...where did you come from?" Where did he come from? He wasn't quite sure. One moment he was sitting calmly back at Shinra Incorperated, the next moment he was standing at the top of the broadest mountain he had ever seen, gazing down at a boy that he didn't even know. He decided to tell Riku about Midgar.

"I came from a place called Midgar. Midgar is a sore apon the smooth ground; it holds up eight reactors-" at this, he glanced at Riku, who was walking directly beside him.

"Reactors?"

"They pull the energy we use-mako, they call it-out of the ground so it can be transferred into electricity. But back to my story, and if you need to interrupt, do it, don't be so hesitant." ."I gazed ahead, and I felt the boy mutely nod. "Midgar has seven sectors to it. In each sector is a variety of towns, but all of them are the Slums, which are less supplied than those who live up on the Plate, whereas they can afford it."

"What's the Plate?"

"It is a huge circular platform in which the richer of the city inhabitants can live. I lived there once, but at another's expense. I didn't enjoy it too much."

"Ok, basically, you live on a Plate somewhere called Midgar. What did you do when you were there?" The boy's curiosity of the unknown seemed to envelope the time that I had to tell my story.

"I worked at a place called Shinra Incorporated, which ran all the mako into electricity and supplied it to the town. Shinra Inc. was also Midgar's military majority; that was my job. I commanded all of Shinra's elite military officials with extreme skill and talent. They were called SOLDIER. There are basically three levels of SOLDIER that you have-Third Class, Second Class, and First Class. Third Class is the level all SOLDIER start out at, and they gain experience and Classes when they have enough skill to do so."

"Wow…doesn't sound like such a fun place."

"It's not."

"How did you get here?" Was the boy's next question. He was smart for his age. EXTREMELY smart.

"Even I am not sure. I was in a meeting when I was somehow transported here. Perhaps you _are _my penance."

"You've been saying that and I don't understand…how am I your penance? What did you do so bad to get one?" I glanced at him. He was looking ahead, up at the dark cloud-filled sky. Cloud. I almost forgot about him.

"I murdered thousands of people. A penance is my punishment; someone I have to help until I am called back to my time or place. Since I have never been to this place, you MUST be my penance."

"I don't like being called a punishment. Is helping someone really that hard for you? Why?"

"You ask too many questions of me."

Riku fell silent. I didn't blame him for it. His questions were appalling. I wondered if he's always been like that. Asking too many questions. Another thing that we have in common. I ask too many questions myself. I asked much too many to be comfortable anymore. Now, Cloud has given me my penance, and I must help him if I expect his forgiveness. I wouldn't forgive me if I had the chance to. I wanted to change; I want to, I really do, but I just don't know how.

If you had the chance to, if you were ever granted the chance to help me, would you?

I'm babbling again.

Riku looks up at me for a moment.

"You know, you remind me of someone." he remarked. Who? Of himself? "I mean, it's like I've met you before, I just can't place where."

"You'll come to it. And when you do, I'll be listening." I said shortly. A small smile graces his features.

"Thanks-well, I mean, for…taking me in, I guess. If you think I'm a penance, then I guess I'll have to follow you until your job is done, and you can get rid of me." The boy looked ahead, and I felt truly sorry for him.

"So, what happened? How did you get behind Kingdom Hearts?" I wanted to keep this conversation going on. I liked the fact that I now have someone to talk to.

"Let's just say I made a very stupid decision."

"Go on."

"I got involved with Maleficent and Ansem, two of the reasons why the Heartless are here. I wanted to save my friend Kairi because I thought my best friend had betrayed me, and the fact that I had a not so subtle crush on her, but not anymore." This is interesting. The boy _admits _he had a crush on a girl. "He was looking for her, but I found her first, and found out that she had lost her heart. I went looking for her heart, but it had been right in front of me all along-in Sora's heart. At the height of my stupidity, I let Ansem control and take over my body, so I was trapped inside of him with no way to get out. In the end, I saved Kairi from being hurt by Ansem, but it cost me. I was thrown behind Kingdom Hearts."

"So this girl-Kairi, was it-is a minor crush?"

"Not anymore. I realize that her and Sora…well, their destinies have been intertwined. I'm sure I'm not needed." The poor child.

"Look." I say abruptly. "We're there. Traverse Town."

He looks ahead, and sees the doors to Traverse Town, oh so tall and menacing. What will he do next? Where will he go? I can't just leave him here; he IS my penance, and the fact that I've already walked away from too many people is driving me insane (not like I'm not already insane, anyways). Riku takes a step forward, hesitant. Will he go? Wait, where is all of this coming from? These utterly useless thoughts? I AM SEPHIROTH!!! Then again, I'm not that Sephiroth anymore. So it doesn't matter. But...what is this...feeling I'm getting? A feeling deep down in the pit of my stomach...something like fear...no...Dread. I dread something is going to happen...but...what is it?

What is going to happen?

OOOOOO!!! CLIFFHANGER!!!!! What's gonna happen? Huh?! HUH?!!!! Riku and Sephiroth....hrm....tee hee, it's not THAT kind of story, but it COULD be, but then again, Seph is twice Riku's age, and that's just...weird. Besides, I like Sora x Riku better (Sora...female...ooo...ideas coming to head!). THANK YOU REVIEWERS!!!! MARRY ME!!!! (not literally) Keep reviewing, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease....PLEEEEEEEEEEASE....

Riku: If she makes that face one more time I swear to god I'm going to be sick.

Sora: You can't handle the kawaii-ness of this. big, sparkly eyes

Riku: Ugh...

Sephiroth: You said it...


	4. Traverse Town

Traverse Town.

Ah, the memories. How could I forget? Where I met Sora, and where I lost him. That doesn't make any sense, does it? I wouldn't think so. I mean, no one really understands my motives or questions. This Sephiroth guy is something else. Picture this-a murderer who had to pay the price and take on a penance to fix it all. Not too shabby. I actually admire this guy for trying to fix everything, just like I'm trying to do...fix everything. I can't wait to get back to Destiny Islands. There are so many things I want to say to them. I want to tell them I'm sorry...truly sorry for everything that happened, because all of it had been my fault in the end. Luckily, I was there to help Sora.

I really couldn't have made it without him.

As we neared the gate, Sephiroth turned to me.

"You have been here before?" he questioned. It seemed as if the soft note that he had taken with me earlier was gone. Oh well.

"Yes. I met Sora-" at this, I swallowed. "-here...this is where I turned myself over...like the idiot I am."

"The fact that you are trying to fix everything, young one, is better than thinking of the past. Try and think ahead to the future. You have your friends to be looking forward to, and I have nothing but the end of my existance once this last mission is fulfilled." Sephiroth turned ahead. The poor guy. I wish he did have something to look forward to, then this wouldn't be bothering me so much.

"But...your trying to fix it too, right?" I ask him, and the ghost of a smile flickered on his face. Heh. The first time I've seen him smile.

"I want to fix it, and even if I die before it is fixed, you'll be there to carry on in my place."

"C'mon, man, stop acting like it's the end of the world! I mean, you got a HUGE SWORD, you look scary, and you have a _big wing._ Who could possibly want to kill you right now? I mean, you look like the type who'll just do this," I gave an uncanny glance over my shoulder, my eyes narrowing slightly. Sephiroth's eyes widened at the look on my face. "And everyone will be like, 'CRAP!' and take off. I think you need to stop worrying so much. Your gonna get grouchy."

Sephiroth went silent for a while, but there was a thoughtful look on his face, like he was thinking about what I said. Good. He should be thinking about what I said. He looks better when he's not worrying about something. Live a little, you know? Sephiroth placed a hand on the entrance door, pushing it open rather easily. No wonder. He looks like he could easily lift two cars up, one on top of the other. I walked in. Yup. Same ol' Traverse Town. Same street lamps, same little moogles running around...pretty much the same. I shrug, and look behind me, to see if he's following. Indeed. Whoa, where did that come from?

"Still looks the same." I remark, and he nods.

"I've never been here before, but if you say so..."

Uh oh. Some guy with a sword with the handle of a shotgun is coming this way. Hmm. Shoulder length brown hair, and glaring dark blue eyes. Lot of black, besides the white t-shirt. And two women besides him. One in pink, who is looking at Sephiroth like he just stole something from her and waved it in front of her face. The other one, in light yellow and green, looking at him like she wanted to kick him in the nuts and run. Ah. Old friends?

"Sephiroth." the one in pink said quietly, a thin metal pole appearing in her hands. He shook his head silently.

"Penance." was all he had to say in return, and her eyes widened.

"A...is he...?" this girl was apparently very understanding, for her arm dropped limply to her side. The man beside her didn't say anything.

"Yes." Sephiroth nodded. "I...Aeris, I just wanted to say-"

"You don't need to say anything, Sephiroth." a kind look came into Aeris' eyes. "I know."

The girl in light yellow just gazed at Sephiroth for a moment before turning around and walking away. Her shoulders were hunched with fury as her hands balled into fists. The man in black (simple enough to call him, but that sounds oddly like a movie title) turned around to watch her, before the girl turned around.

"You expect us to forgive you?! After all of that suffering you put Cloud and Aeris through?!" she yelled at Sephiroth. Sephiroth only looked back at her impassively, his gaze training hard on her.

"...." He turned around, his wing twitching irritably, to face me. I looked up at him in wonder, a hand resting behind my head.

"Wow. They really hate you." I managed to say, making him smile.

"Perhaps." he nodded. "She-" at this, he pointed at Aeris. "-can understand. While that one...Yuffie, was it?...she despises me."

"And don't you forget it!!!" she yelled at him. Blacky (No, I'm not being racist! I JUST DON'T KNOW THE GUY'S NAME! ... ) placed a hand firmly on her shoulder, and she quieted down. "But Leon..."

"Shh." Was all the guy that I now have a name for-Leon?-said, listening to them talk.

"Yeah...well...um...I guess I'm helping him right now." I grinned, shrugging. Aeris' eyes focused on me. Wow. Her are like...search lights or something like that. But what's she searching for? I don't have anything of her's...

"Your heart is not pure, but neither is his." she said carefully. Ouch. That hit a nerve. How could she tell? Huh? HUH? HUH!? "I sense something...different about you, though. Are you by any chance...Riku?"

"How'd you know that?" This lady's freaking me out.

"You had a very simple life. Sora has told me all about you." Aeris looks at me kindly. Hrm...Sora...talked about me?

"What did he say? That I'm a backstabbing piece of scum for a best friend?" I cross my arms. "I've already told everyone before. I'm sorry. But does anyone listen to Riku anymore? Nope. His opinion doesn't matter because he's a double crossing little son of a-"

"-He didn't say anything of that caliber!" Aeris said, looking upset. "He was looking for you and Kairi! He didn't know anything about you thinking that he replaced you and Kairi with Donald and Goofy-"

"You don't know anything!" This came out of me in a burst of uncanny rage. "You don't know anything about me, lady, so step off and stop trying to help me and explain what I ALREADY KNOW I thought! Jesus, why can't you people understand I'm trying to fix it all? I feel bad enough without all of you going, Riku did this, and Riku did that...well, why don't you all stop for a moment and think about what YOUR DOING? I'm trying to fix my life! I have friends that need me!"

Sephiroth was staring at me like I'd just smacked him in the face. Oh, so your against me too, huh?! Just like the rest of your little friends standing around and acting like idiots! I turned around, only to have Aeris place her hands on my shoulders. I swear to god I'll...what...what is she doing? First I was standing there, next I'm being pulled unwillingly into a hug. Who does this lady think she is? And then she starts whispering.

"Listen, Riku, I don't blame you...you have a lot of anger...that you can't expel, am I correct?" I couldn't blame her for trying to form something she already knew into a question. This didn't stop me from being angry at her.

"Damn right I do!" I try to keep my voice down. It's hard.

"Sora misses you...a lot." she says gently, which catches me off guard immediately.

"He...does? But...after all I did to him-" She interrupts my question before I can ask it.

"Your his best friend, Riku, and nothing can change that. He understands that you have been mislead by Ansem...he understands that you had thought differently. Donald and Goofy are his friends, but they are also ordered to follow the one with the Keyblade, therefore, if you had gotten the Keyblade, if you hadn't chosen the darker path-" she held up a hand and continued whispering. "-they would have followed you...and don't think Sora would give up on you, Riku...he has a heart. Just as you do."

Oh, how much I hoped she was right.

Poor Riku. You can't help but not feel sorry for him, you know? The feelings, the whatnot...blagghhhhHH!!!! WAHHHHHHH!!!! My poor Riku! Sniffle As most of you have noticed, I've switched to first person view. I dunno, it's just something I can do. . Well, anyways, reviewers, pleeeeeease review, or I'll probably quit this damned story...

Riku: This is the only thing she has to think about! C'mon! SHE LEARNS!!!


End file.
